Faith Like a Mustard Seed

     This year God has been working on my faith and trust. I often struggle with anxiety about little things and how this affects my attitude going forward. If something happens that inconveniences me or proves difficult I tend to blow it up beyond what should concern me. Sometimes I try to give the situation to God and pray for peace to do what I can and allow Him to work out the rest. Other times I stew over the situation. But each time God has come through.

     For example, at the beginning of the semester I became overwhelmed by my various classes and the new responsibilities that I would need to undertake. One of the things I needed to do was get a film camera for my photography course. It was a little thing but I was stressed about it. In the end, it worked out beautifully because my dad had a camera that I could use.

     I'm sure God was shaking His head at my concerns. He might have been thinking, "Calm down. I've got this all under control. Just wait and see." Sometimes I cry out and say, "But God! There is is this one thing that is making me nervous. I don't know how it will turn out and..." And God responds, "Yes, but God. Be still and know that I am in control." This year, I am reading through the Psalms for part of my daily devotional and it has been a real encouragement to see how the psalmist cries out to God in his time of need and how he still keeps the perspective of God's power and glory.

     As other obstacles come up I can look back and see how God has been providing for me. I can trust Him. Things don't always turn out the way I think they will, but I know it is for the better and can sometimes see how it was better than what I originally wanted. So maybe worrying about a camera (or whatever else happens to be going on at the moment) is a small matter. And it is! However, I know that if I can trust God in the small things I will be able to ride out the storms of this life and rest on the firm foundation of God's grace.


     FAITH is traversing a rickety bridge; where trust must be put into the fibers and cables that they do not snap. Often, the bridge is stretched over a deep chasm and those who cross it are fearful that they would fall. The act of faith does not eradicate fear, but it behaves like a guiding hand as the person crosses the narrow planks. Faith is like a father leading his child through a dim hallway; it is not like a blind man stumbling around in the dark. In a similar way, the person crossing the bridge uses the ropes to keep his balance. The first step, from solid ground to the first board, involves a mixture of courage and faith because the person must get over their fear. After the first step is made safely and their act of faith is reassured it is easier to take another step. Real life is similar in that future acts of faith are made easier due to the fulfilled acts that came before them. In this way faith can be built. As Christians, we live our lives in faith when we look to our Heavenly Father for guidance. The way is not always clear, but we can rest in the fact that He is always with us. Sometimes faith is born of necessity, like the man trusting the bridge because he must get to the other side. However, true faith is built on a kind of knowing, that is a faith in of itself. It is trusting when no reason or argument would advise to do so. Our faith in God our Father is much stronger than our faith in the bridge to stay together. God has the power and ability to sustain us infallibly, while the bridge’s ropes will eventually fray. It is often necessary for faith to be built in times of ease, so that when the difficult trials come we will not be crushed on the rocks of despair. Solomon urges the reader to, ‘remember your Creator in the days of your youth.’ When hard times come the faith that was built during times of ease will be like a cushion that we can fall back on. That is why a house built on a solid foundation will hold in the storm and not crumble, like the one built on sand.